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nature_n	body_n	divine_a	unite_v	2,443	5	9.2437	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81481	The deputation of angels, or, The angell-guardian: I. Proved by the dim light of nature, clear beames of Scriptures, and consent of many ancient and modern writers, untainted with popery. II. Cleared from many rubs and mistakes; the criticall queries of antagonists examined, untyed. III. Applyed and improved, for our information in many other truths; consolation in our adversities; and reformation of our lives. Chiefly grounded on Acts 12. 15. It is his angell. / By Robert Dingley, M.A. and minister of the word at Brixton in the isle of Wight; formerly Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford.	Dingley, Robert, 1619-1660.	1653 (1653)	Wing D1496; Thomason E1505_2; ESTC R208670	88,111	239

harken what the Lord will speak Psal 85.8 for he will speak Peace unto his people Any mercy that comes as an answer of prayer is a double mercy but that which comes in the time of prayer is a trebble Favour and heaps a multitude of inviolable bonds upon us Of this we have had many experiences in these daies April 7. 1654. one very lately For on our day of Humiliation for the late Drought it rained very sweetly t was like a shour of Rose-water coming as an immediate answer and in the very time of seeking God 2 Point from the Coherence Secondly Somtimes the deliverances of Gods people out of imminent emminent dangers are so wonderfull and attended with such a Train of Miracles and Improbabilities that they have much ado to believe them although they hear and see them The Disciples took that for the Eve of Peters Execution and they well knew he was guarded with four Quaternions of Souldiers was bound with two Chains and that if he could escape out of Prison and pass the first and second watch there was yet a Gate and that of Iron that would obstruct his aime Therfore when he was delivered and stood knocking at the Gate through incredulity they let him stand so long that he might have been re-taken at the door and the ship sink in the Havens mouth Rhoda though she heard his voice is charged with madness for saying so Calvin in Locum and at last they said it was his Angel in Summe any thing rather then the Apostle Hinc colligimus Petri liberationē minime fuisse ab illis speratam saith Calvin on the Text They little dreamt of Peters deliverance When the three Children were preserved in the hot fiery Furnace and Daniel safe in the Lions Den their Enemies who saw it could hardly beleeve it Nay Beleevers as well as others have been at a loss in this thing when Christ that great Answer of prayer was come in the Flesh how few did beleive in him when he came to his Disciples in the Ship to save them from the Tempest they cryed out for fear supposing he was a Spirit And when he was risen from the dead the Apostle Thomas though he saw him and conferred with him could not beleive but must put his Fingers into the prints of the Nails The Jews when they had long prayed for the return of the Babylonian Captivity Psal 126.1 at the receipt of that mercy they were as men in a Dream Admonemur sic succurrere Deum pijs dum affliguntur ut ex improviso liberentur se non liberari sed somnium videre Putent Musculus in explan Psal 126.1 P. 1005 Gen. 45.26 27. saith Musculus on that place So Jacob when he was told that his Son Ioseph liv'd and had great power in Aegypt Old Jacobs heart fainted for he beleived it not but when he saw the Waggon which Joseph had sent for him his Spirit revived Thus in our Text the Disciples could hardly credite the Deliverance of Peter or Testimony of Rheda that heard his voice and knew it full well Nay Peter himself had little faith in this respect For first Act. 12.6.11 He was fast asleep just before it was begun and was very far from plotting or hoping this escape 2. When he was perfectly awakened and in the midst of his deliverance himself saw not ground of beleiving it For Luke saith Act. 12.6.11 He followed the Angel and wist not that it was true which was done by him but thought he saw a Vision and when he was come to himself he praised God This may be so Reas 1 because God is often mysterious in his working and many times he seems to destroy when he comes to deliver As in the case of Ioseph sold and put into a Pit The Israelites entring into the Red-Sea and Christ being destroyed and murthered of the Jews when all the hopes of the Disciples were buried with Christ We thought that this had been he that should have redeemed Israel The Lord useth very strange Methods of deliverance Psal 65.5 As one that had an Ulcer in his body being sadly yet sweetly wounded by his Enemy had his Ulcer opened and his life saved Hag. 2.7 By terrible things in Righteousness will thou answer us Psal 99.8 I will shake all Nations and the desire of Nations shall come Thou answeredsts and forgavest them although thou tookest vengeance of their Inventions When God comes to deliver a people Psal 97.2 Gen. 32.24 and execute vengeance on his Enemies it may be clouds and darkness are round about him Although he answered the prayer of Iacob yet first he put his Thigh out of joynt Again Reas 2 much of this wonder may be charged upon our great unbelief we are apt to measure the All-sufficience power and purposes of God by visible Appearances by humane Probabilities and rationall Expectations But the vast circle of his power and goodness excells the Epicicle of our faith Vnde quod nunc factum est illis videtur incredibile ut magis ad celebrandam Dei virtutem excitentur Calvin in Locum saith Calvin on the Text Ionah was in two deeps yet at the bottom of the Sea and entomb'd in the Whale he despaired not he ceased not to call upon God for deliverance The use What ever our streights be oh let us never cease to besiege Heaven with our prayers and lett our Bullets be Tears our Guns Groans In the lowest ebb of affairs let us know a spring tide of comfort may be at hand Eph. 3.20 God can and will do for his people aboue all that they can ask or think For as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so are Gods thoughts above our thoughts Thirdly 3 Point from the Coherence Elect Angels have assumed the shape of men Here you see the Disciples took Peter to be an Angel in his shape It is his Angel Now that the Angels have appeared in visible forms of men Iudg. 6. 13 Chap. and for a while so conversed with Mortals walking eating and drinking and talking familiarly of the matters wherabout they were sent is full evident in Sacred Records Abraham entertained Angels unawares so also did Lot Daniel Hagar Zachary the Virgin Mary Saint Iohn in the Revelation Peter in the Prison Angels have appeared in Dreams in Visions and lastly in assumption of bodies as here to Peter But how could this be Qu. 1 I answer Ans 1 1. Some have thought there hath been no Assumption of bodies but only an appearance to our Fancy and strong imagination But this cannot be so because they did eat and drink and were seen of many as well as of one Ans 2 2. The Learned hold they took reall bodies formed by Divine Power into the similitude of men Angels were united to those bodies not as mans Soul to his body nor as Christ to our Nature but they

of Angels as their Languages Names Songs Battels their converse w th one another visions of God their Motions Number and Ranks What means the receiving of the Law by the Deposition of Angels Or the Angels striving with the Divell about Moses his body Their desire to pry into our Redemption by Christ and the making known by the Church somwhat unto them In a word the Voice of the Angel at the last day All this is hinted unto us in * 1 Cor. 13.1 Col. 1.16 Job 38 7. Matth. 18.10 Isa 6.2 3. Heb 12.22 Act. 7.53 Judges 9. 1 Pet. 1.12 Eph. 3.10 1 Thes 4.15 the Scripture Here are great Deeps wherin the hugest Elephants may swim and Leviathans tumble And in the exposition wherof the most Learned are like lisping Children God will peece-meal and in his due time discover all to us very much here and the rest in Heaven Then all Mists as well as Tears shall be wip'd from our eyes Now we see darkly we know but in part Melius est dubitare de occultis quam litigare de incertis Pliny the younger was swallowed up of a smoaking burning Gulph approaching too neer to find out the cause of the Eruption Let us hear what Learned Hiensius saith on the Mysterious Book of the Revelation Dan. Hiensius in Sacr. Exercitat ad Nov. Test lib. 20 cap. 4. p. 597. Non quaedam Ignorare tantum sed Ignorare quaedam velle Humilitatis Christianae Partem non exiguam existimamus Ne parum reverenter abdita Scrutemur This should cool in us the uncomly Itch of Curiosity in Divine things But on the other side we must be desirous to know what God hath revealed in his word and in order therunto to beleive that we know nothing to be sensible of our darkness and blindness in Spirituall things 1 Cor. 8.2 The Lord knows we have weak Eyes stammering Tongues and trembling Quills if we go about to speak or write of the deep and sublime things of God And such without all peradventure is the Doctrine of Angels 2. 2 Concession Whilst we plead for those glorious Creatures those loving and lovely Spirits and their care which is extended towards us from our Souls we do abhor and detest as most impious the Adoration of Angels with a desire it may be as heartily as themselves also do it For as nothing pleaseth them more then our conversion and gracious conversation Rev. 19.10 22.9 so nothing is more abominable to them then to be adored Origen spake to fvourably of it but the Lord hath most expresly forbidden it Psal 50.15 Col. 2.18 Col. 2.18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of Angels Divine Adoration is neither due nor pleasing unto them nor honourable to God nor any way profitable to our selves Mendoza in Reg. Vol. 2. p. 25. Tertullian in Mendoza observes that some men namely Magistrates are called Gods But so are not Angels who yet are more excellent and all to hinder our Adoration of them Matth. 4.10 Heb. 1.13 Take heed therfore Christians that yee do not so cry up Angels as to derogate from Christ in the least 3. 3 Concession When I say one Angel chiefly and constantly attends the elect Person in an ordinary course It cannot be denyed but in an extraordinary way * Psal 34.7 Exod. 14.19 One Angel may attend many Saints as the Noble Generall and Valliant Captain of the Huge Troop of their particular Angels as we shall shew hereafter And also that many Angels may attend * Psal 91.11 Luke 16.23 2 Reg. 16.17 One in some Eminent and Arduous Imployment for our greater consolation But from hence to conclude that a Beleever hath not one constant or usuall Guide carrieth with it such a kind of Argumentation Note One Generall belongs to many Regiments and Companies therfore no Souldier hath a Captain in particular or on the other side thus One Generall hath an whole Army round about him to defend him therfore he hath not an Alter Fgo or Animae Dimidium that above all the rest doth watch over him will stick to him and dye with or for him if need require Have not young Studients besides their generall Officers as Chancellor Vice-chancellor Proctors President Vice-president Bucan Loc. Com. de Ang. Loc. 6. pag. 70. Deanes particular Tutors to read to them and watch over them And thus it is in the Doctrine of Angels Many Angels look to the Church and belong to each particular Beleever And yet saith Bucan Cal. Instit lib. 1. cap 14. one Angel may be his ordinary Tutor and more especiall Guardian So that Calvins Pro certo Habendum is still very true This saith he is to be held for a certainty That not only one Angel hath care for every one of us but that all of them with a common consent do watch over our Salvation and Good I have given you the Preparatory Concessions and am come at last to demonstrate our Thesis and to prove that every elect Child of God hath one particular Angel to tutor and defend him We shal prove this Point by the Dim Light of Nature clear Beams of Scripture and the consent of many Ancient and Modern Writers untainted with Popish Leven First this may be proved by the Dim Light of Nature where I must shew you 1. 1 The Point proved by the dim Light of Nature 1 That the Light of Nature is Well to be heeded That the light of Nature is well to be heeded though not rested in 2. What the light of Nature hath taught us in this Point For the former it will appear by these Mediums 1. It is a Relict or Remnant of the Image of God Although this Light be not able to prepare us for Grace or bring us unto Christ And although compared with Faith it is but as a Gloworm to the Sun Yet though the Taper be small and burn very dim * See Melanchton de Lege Peccato Antony Eurges vindiciae Legis 7. Lect. p. 67. Rom. 1.20 Act. 17.27 Psal 19.1 Act. 14.17 some Light and Irradiation flows from it enough to leave men without excuse and wherby we may guess at our Primitive knowledge in Paradice Even as the bigness of Hercules body was gathered by his Foot of a Lion by the Claw a Stocke of Divine knowledg p. 11. And the ruines of some stately Pallace do serve to declare its former Magnificence Much is read of God by the Light of Nature and in the volume of the Creatures 2. The Light of Nature is necessary though not sufficient in civill and morall things b Burges ut ante 72.73 For reason makes men in a Passive capacity of Grace of which a Stone or Beast is not receptive or capable 3. Many Points in Divinity do not cross the Truth of Nature as Grotius and c Grotius de ve●●t Relig. Christianae

then one at once Aquinas Sic sunt in uno Loco ut non sint in Alio say the Schoolmen They are undoubtedly so in one place as not to be in another * Angeli sunt in loco non circumsrciptive quia non commensurantur loco sed definitive c. Non sunt ubique Bucan loc com de Ang. loc 6. sect 17. That the Angels are in a place is certain out of Scripture They are said sometimes to be in Heaven and sometimes to be on Earth Gabriel was sent into a City of Galilee Luke 1.26 Therefore when Gabriel was in Nazareth he could not be said to be in Ierusalem or any other City Angels are not in a place as bodies by circumscription or contiguity For a Legion was in one man yet they are so here that they are not there The same Angels cannot be in many places at once their motion indeed is very speedy and quick and therefore they are pictured with wings but their motion cannot be in an instant And doth not this make against the ordinary attendance of many Troops of Angels much more of all the Angels upon one single Person seeing all Believers are promised the presence of Angels And if so many or all be present with one what shall become of the rest shall one have many Troops and another farre distant have none Gods elect are not all in a cluster but scattered and dispersed o're the world One in a Family two in a Tribe in all Nations God hath some that feare and serve him 2. Let us consider not only the distance but the great number of Believers In the dayes of Iezabel when the Church was under sore persecution there were seven thousand left that had not bowed the knee to Baal 1 Reg. 19.18 How great then is the number of Believers since the Gospel when the silken Drag-net is sayd to draw in five thousand at a draught Act● 4.4 And the number of those that shall rejoyce at Antichrists ruine is said to be an hundred forty and four thousand Apoc. 14.3 11.15 In a word it is said that all Nations shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord and his Christ From all which wee gather that though few be saved in respect of that vast throng and innumerable spawn of the wicked that crowd into Hell yet the quantity of Believers is in it self very considerable and glorious Heb. 11.12 13. Such as dye in the faith are as the stars of the skie in multitude and as the sand which is by the Sea-shoar innumerable Such a Progeny had Abraham Heb. 11. Well the number of Believers on earth being so considerable as to passe all the known rules of Arithmatick to tell them From hence let us gather whether it bear a face of probability that each one of so great a company have many troops of Angels still to attend him 3. Add to this the number of Reprobate and falne Angels that kept not their station whereby the society of Angels is much maimed lessned You read that in one man there was a legion of Devils Luk. 8 30. Vegetius de Re Milit lib. 2. cap. 6. Isidore saith a legion among the Romans was six thousand armed Souldiers but Vegetius saith 6100. Footmen and 726 Hors-men but here a certain number I suppose is put for an uncertain A legion of Devils in him that is very many Our Saviour compares them to the Fowls of the Ayre in the parable of the Sower Luke 8.5 To shew us there be not so many birds flying in the Aire although sometimes the Ayr will be black with them as wicked spirits in the world Satan is the Prince of the Ayre and Beelzebub the chief of Devils to shew us the greatnesse of his Train and multitude of his Subjects Beelzebub signifies the Lord of Flies there be not so many Flies in the world as there be Devils If then the number of faln Angels be so great it must needs follow that the society of Angels is very much broken and maimed and therefore it is not probable that whole troops are allotted to each particular Believer 4. One is often mentioned in Scripture to attend one man There are threescore Places where mention is made of one Angel having to doe with one Believer too many here to be inserted sometimes named as Michael and Gabriel Dan. 10.13 Luke 1.19 On the other side it is a rare thing and in very extraordinary cases that many Angels are recorded to be about one man or one woman shall not these things be carefully heeded When the Lord saith One Angel shall we say many Angels Let us acquiesce in his word and take heed of adding to or diminishing from it 5. One Angel sufficeth for ordinary Attendance The body is actedby One soule which gives it a Naturall life The soule of a Believer by one spirit which gives it a Divine life And one Angel will suffice to guard and defend one man 2 King 19 What havock did one Angel make in defence of Hezekiah 'T was one Angel that shut the Lions mouths insomuch that they touched not Daniel Dan. 6.22 3. ●5 One Angel hindred the violence of the flames that they could not hurt the three Children And one Angel smote off the Chains of Peter and made the prison doors and iron gates to open unto him One Angel saith a Writer * Master Leighs body of Divinity in 4 to lib. 3. cap. 7. p. 90. is able to destroy all the Men Beasts Birds and Fishes and all the Creatures that be in the world by overturning the whole course of Nature if God should permit it One Angel is able to drown the Earth again and cause the waters to over-flow it To pull the Sun Moon and Stars out of their places and make all a Chaos Angels can move and stir the earth Mat. 28.2 Nay one Angel did it Mat 28.2 And behold there was a great Earth-quake For the Angell of the Lord descended from heaven Lastly the very voyce of an Arch-Angel is so loud and terribie that at last it shall awaken all that are dead 1 Thes 4.16 Psal 103.20 1 Thes 4.16 Thus you see an Angel is of incredible power The Angells saith the Psalmist do excell in strength I might say as much of their admirable wisdome Agility and Fidelity But I refer you to those that write of the Nature of Angels See Aquinas Zanchy and Saikeld and to the subtle and large Tracts of the Schoolmen thereupon By this time you see that one Angel sufficeth for our daily and ordinary attendance seeing one Angel hath done and can do such great and wonderfull things 6. Yet further to shew Principio serviunt ipsi Deo eundem concelebrant laudibus sempiternis Adorantes Glorificantes exultantes in Ipso Bullingeri decad 4. Ser. 9. fol. 251. that multitudes of Angels do not in an ordinary course attend one